Giovanni Malagò, a central figure in Italian sport and current president of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, will not join the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the small body that guides the strategic decisions of the global Olympic movement.The former president of CONI, Italy's equivalent of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, was defeated by a single vote in the second and final round of voting. he first ballot had ended in a perfect tie, with 48 votes each. In the final runoff, an abstention allowed Neven Ilic, Chilean official and president of the Pan American Olympic Committees, to win and obtain a seat on the IOC Executive Board. Ilic's election is part of the Olympic organization's broader goal to increase regional diversity in its governing bodies. "I accept the outcome with serenity", Malagò said. "I've always seen international responsibilities as a contribution to the sports movement, not a personal accomplishment. I will continue to work with the same passion and commitment as before, offering my expertise, relationships, and institutional knowledge as I have for many years. Today, more than ever, my top priority is to contribute to the success of the 2026 Winter Games, a historic event for our country and the entire Olympic movement". Malagò further stated that the vote result and the election of his opponent "represent an important achievement for the Olympic movement, and I wish to extend my most sincere congratulations". In spite of his exclusion from the Executive Committee, Malagò will continue to serve as a member of the IOC, a position he has held since 2019, which enables him to engage in the Olympic Assembly's activities.